The Pittsburgh Steelers star barely missed the top-10 cornerbacks in the NFL, largely due to that perceived physical decline.

T.J. Watt has wanted to be a “one-helmet guy” from the second he arrived in Pittsburgh eight years ago.The star outside linebacker took one big step toward that goal on Thursday, agreeing to a new pact that will make him the league's highest-paid defender and keep the perennial All-Pro in black-and gold well into his 30s.

Watt's extension will pay him an average of $41 million annually, putting him ahead of Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase ($40.25 million) and Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett ($40 million) in terms of the highest average annual salaries among non-quarterbacks.